Summary:

 

Roboy is a unique, human-sized anthropomimetic robot known for its tendon-driven system. Developed by the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Roboy is designed to mimic human biomechanics as closely as possible. Instead of traditional rigid motors, Roboy uses cables and motors that simulate muscles and tendons, making its movements compliant and safer for human interaction.

 

Editorial:

 

When German engineers tackle humanoids, they don’t just build them—they dissect and rebuild the human body itself. Roboy is a marvel of biomimicry. While most robots use bulky, gear-driven motors, Roboy uses a radical, tendon-driven system, effectively giving him artificial muscles. This isn't just a gimmick; it results in movements that are incredibly fluid and, most importantly, soft. This compliance makes Roboy the perfect testbed for future collaborative robots that need to work closely with humans without posing a crushing hazard. Roboy is the scientific darling of the list, designed not to dominate the world, but to help us understand our own bodies better. His gentle nature and unique construction make him an absolute standout and a testament to the rigorous, systems-level approach of German engineering.

 

Specifications:

 

Dimensions & Build

(Exact height/weight not published)  

- Design Intent: Human‑like musculoskeletal replication  

- Construction:  

  - Tendon‑driven muscles  

  - Soft‑robotics compliant joints  

  - Human‑proportion torso, arms, and head  

  - Modular research‑grade frame  

 

Mobility

- Locomotion:  

  - Early versions: stationary upper‑body humanoid  

  - Later versions: partial mobility for research tasks  

- Capabilities:  

  - Human‑like arm motion  

  - Smooth, compliant joint behavior  

  - Safe interaction with humans  

 

(Roboy is not a full walking humanoid.)

 

Degrees of Freedom

- Total DOF: Not fully published  

- Arms: Multi‑DOF tendon‑driven arms  

- Hands: Dexterous tendon‑driven hands  

- Neck/Head: Multi‑DOF expressive head  

 

Actuation

- Actuator Type: Tendon‑driven “muscles”  

- Capabilities:  

  - Human‑like elasticity  

  - Smooth, natural motion  

  - High compliance for safe interaction  

 

This is Roboy’s defining feature and the core of its research value.

 

Manipulation

- Capabilities:  

  - Dexterous hand movements  

  - Human‑like grasping experiments  

  - Soft‑robotics manipulation research  

 

(No industrial payload specs published.)

 

Perception & Sensors

Confirmed characteristics:  

- Vision system (cameras)  

- Touch sensors  

- Interaction‑safe sensing  

- Human‑robot interaction modules  

 

Compute & AI

- AI System: Research‑grade control stack  

- Capabilities:  

  - Human‑robot interaction  

  - Soft‑robotics control  

  - Biomechanics simulation  

  - Embodied‑AI experimentation  

 

Battery & Power

- Power Source: External power (lab‑grade)  

- Runtime: Not applicable  

- Charging: Not applicable  

 

Connectivity

- Research‑lab integration  

- Modular software interfaces  

- ROS‑compatible in later versions  

 

Applications

- Soft‑robotics research  

- Biomechanics modeling  

- Human‑robot interaction studies  

- Education and public outreach  

- Embodied‑AI experimentation  

 

Pricing

- Not commercially sold  

(Roboy is a research platform, not a commercial product.)

 

Not published:  

- Height  

- Weight

  

- DOF breakdown  

- Torque values  

- Sensor resolution  

- Battery specs  

- Environmental ratings  

 

Image: techrepublic

 

Company Source:

 

- Roboy 3.0 – Official Project Page  

https://roboy.org/robots/3-0/ 

 

- Roboy – Wikipedia Overview  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROBOY

 

Key News & Coverage:

 

- Roboy.org – Roboy 3.0: Telepresence Enabled by AI, Robotics & 5G  

https://roboy.org/robots/3-0/

 

- Humanoids Daily – Tracking Humanoid Robotics Developments  

https://www.humanoidsdaily.com/